May 20 : World Metrology Day & Ancient Greece

For World Metrology day, we take a look at the history of Metrology, which comes from the Greek words Metron (measurement) & Logos (the study of), meaning the study of measurement. In ancient Greek metrology meant the theory of ratios.

Metrology, the science of measurement, has evolved significantly throughout human history. The earliest recorded systems of weights and measures originate in the 3rd or 4th millennium BCE. Even the very earliest civilizations needed measurement for purposes of agriculture, construction, and trade. Early standard units might only have applied to a single community or small region, with every area developing its own standards for lengths, areas, volumes, and masses. Often such systems were closely tied to one field of use, so that volume measures used, for example, for dry grains were unrelated to those for liquids, with neither bearing any particular relationship to units of length used for measuring cloth or land.

Greek contributions to Metrology

The Greeks made significant contributions to the development of metrology. They were the first to introduce the concept of a standard unit of measurement, which was the foot. The Greek foot was based on the length of a man’s foot, and it was used as a standard unit of measurement for length. The Greeks also developed the stade, which was a unit of length equivalent to 600 Greek feet. The stade was used to measure distances in races and was also used to measure the length of roads.

The Greeks have made significant contributions to the field of metrology, which is the science of measurement. The Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus is credited with being the first to measure the height of the pyramids using the shadow of a stick. This was a significant achievement in the field of metrology and laid the foundation for future developments in the field.

The Greeks also developed a system of weights and measures that was used throughout the ancient world. The system was based on the use of standard weights and measures that were kept in temples and other public places. This system was used for trade and commerce and helped to facilitate communication between different cultures.

Impact of Greek language to metrology

The Greek language has also contributed to the field of metrology. Many of the terms used in modern metrology are derived from Greek words. For example, the word “metrology” comes from the Greek word “metron,” which means “measure”. Other examples include the words “thermometer,” “barometer,” and “hygrometer,” which are all derived from Greek words.

Greek Mathematics

The Greeks also made significant contributions to the development of geometry, which is the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, solids, and higher-dimensional analogs. Geometry played a crucial role in the development of metrology because it provided a way to measure the volume of irregularly shaped objects. The Greeks were the first to develop the concept of pi (π), which is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. The value of pi was first calculated by Archimedes, who used a method of exhaustion to approximate the value of pi. The Greeks also developed the concept of proportions, which is the relationship between two quantities. Proportions played a crucial role in the development of metrology because they provided a way to compare different units of measurement.

In conclusion, the Greeks made significant contributions to the development of metrology. They introduced the concept of a standard unit of measurement, developed the stade, and made significant contributions to the development of geometry and proportions. These contributions laid the foundation for the development of modern metrology, which has its roots in the French Revolution’s political motivation to standardize units in France when a length standard taken from a natural source was proposed. This led to the creation of the decimal-based metric system in 1795, establishing a set of standards for other types of measurements. Several other countries adopted the metric system between 1795 and 1875; to ensure conformity between the countries, the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) was established by the Metre Convention. This has evolved into the International System of Units (SI) as a result of a resolution at the 11th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in 1960.